May 20, 2008

Un-(bleeping)-believable!

This was supposed to be a different post, and I know that most people who read this have no interest whatsoever in baseball, but quite frankly, this kid is amazing and it doesn't get much more inspiring than this! (Never mind that he's playing for the Red Sox, he's also a fellow capricorn and cancer survivor- how's that for similarities ;-))

Jon Lester was diagnosed with a treatable form of lymphoma in 2006, got back to spring training in 2007, and won the series-clinching Game Four for the Red Sox in the World Series. After that game, fellow cancer survivor and Red Sox player Mike Lowell had this to say about Lester:

"He’s obviously a fighter and he got presented with an awful thing and he never complained and never said, ‘Why me?’ He just went about beating it. And then to come back in baseball shape and have to develop himself as a pitcher on top of it, I’m telling you, I can’t wait to see this kid and what the finished product is because it’s going to be exceptional!"

Well, we got the first glimpse of that last night (which got me to stay up really late or rather quite early), when Jon Lester added a no-hitter to his stats. He already came close late April against Toronto, so we all knew he could do it, but to actually see him do it, watch the team and the whole crowd at Fenway cheer for him, was just a very emotional experience.

Jon Lester often said that whatever happens to him from here on out, whatever challenges he’s given, he can persevere. Let's just take that attitude and stick with it, why don't we!?